Got Built?

Pavlova. The word evokes the image of a sylph-like creature, lighter than air… someone who clearly never ate this dessert on a regular basis!

I have probably tried every Pavlova recipe under the sun. Okay, ALMOST ever Pavlova recipe. I finally found The One that appears to have actually been written in the land where the toilets flush backward.

I offer you my take on this sugary abomination – which I serve with lemon curd, whipped cream, and a side of insulin.
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You KNOW it’s an old-fashioned cookie recipe when the recipe calls for sour milk and no eggs. My great aunt Lucille used to make these as currant cookies – and as she grew old, and then very old, it fell upon my mother to bake these for her at Christmastime. This year, it was my pleasure to bake The Sacred Currant Cookies. Mom mailed them off with the note “MariAnne made these for you this year”. My mom’s so sweet. I wouldn’t have minded if she took credit, but to her, it made her proud that her daughter would do this for her.

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Pumpkin pie is a funny thing – for one, pumpkin isn’t a naturally delicious food, and it certainly isn’t particularly sweet. Neither is it easy to prepare.

I used to make my own pumpkin pie – from an actual pumpkin – and it was truly a pain in the ass to make (more…)

This is my favourite chocolate cake. It’s sweet enough that it doesn’t need an icing, and takes all of five minutes to throw together. Half a Lindt dark bar goes into it. Enough said. (more…)

Okay, this is my Valentine’s Day cake. I make it in a heart-shaped cake pan, because I HAVE heart-shaped pans…

I believe it’s called a Marie Antoinette cake. We just call it “the Pink cake”. (more…)

Yes, it’ll kill you. You just won’t care! (more…)